Trunk support for sitting patients

ABSTRACT

A trunk support for use with wheelchairs and the like having contoured trunk support plates disposed laterally of and in supporting contact with the patient&#39;&#39;s trunk. The plates are secured to the backrest of the chair, are universally movable for adjustment to the patient&#39;&#39;s size and shape, and are locked in the supporting position. The plates can be opened to permit the patient to enter or alight from the chair. Stop means are provided so that each time the plates are moved into their trunk supporting position they return to an identical, predetermined position to thereby eliminate the need for adjustments of the plate while used with the same patient.

United States Patent Keropian 51 Feb. 8, 1972 [54'] TRUNK SUPPORT FORSITTING PATIENTS [51] Int. Cl. ..B60r 21/10 [58] Field of Search..297/389, 390, 384

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 527,056 10/1894 Gilson..297/384 557,132 3/1896 LaPrease ..297/384 X 1,074,615 10/1913 Folmer..297/384 Peterson ..297/389 X Kerner ..297/384 Primary Examiner-JamesT. McCall Attorney-Townsend and Townsend [571 ABSTRACT A trunk supportfor use with wheelchairs and the like having contoured trunk supportplates disposed laterally of and in supporting contact with the patientstrunk. The plates are secured to the backrest of the chair, areuniversally movable for adjustment to the patients size and shape, andare locked in the supporting position. The plates can be opened topermit the patient to enter or alight from the chair. Stop means areprovided so that each time the plates are moved into their trunksupporting position they return to an identical, predetermined positionto thereby eliminate the need for adjustments of the plate while usedwith the same patient.

13 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDFEB a 1912 saw 1 or 3' INVENTOR.

M/CHAfL kaeap/n/v :EIE l TRUNK SUPPORT FOR SI'I'IING PATIENTS BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION Infirm, injured or paralyzed patients frequentlyrequire support for their trunks while in a sitting position, say in awheelchair. Curvature or deformity of the patients spine may take placedue to improper support, insufficient strength or general infirmity ofthe patient. Additionally, paralyzed patients unable to maintain asitting position unless restrained and properly supported can be placedin chairs by preventing their trunks from slumping forward or sideward.

In the past patients were usually strapped into the chair and againstthe chairs back. Such strapping is inconvenient, particularly since itcan cause undesirable pressure points on the patients body, is difficulttoapply and, most importantly, does not provide proper and adequatesupport for the patients trunk. Nevertheless, the general lack ofreadily available other means has made them widely accepted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides support platesfor laterally supporting a patients trunk while in a sitting position.The plates are universally movable to permit adjustment of the plateposition to patients of varying sizes and shapes, they can be opened topermit the patient to alight from or enter the chair withoutinterference from the support plate, and they are returned into theexact same position each time they are applied to the patients trunkwithout need for any adjustments. The plates also permit the patient tomove while supported. The degree of movement can be adjusted as needed.

Briefly, the trunk support of the present invention comprises a pair oftrunk support plates contoured to fit against the patients trunk, andmeans for securing the plates to a seating structure such as awheelchair. Means are further provided to universally adjust the spatialposition of the support plates when in a trunk supporting position toadapt them for use with patients of different sizes and shapes.Releasable locking means permit the plates to be removed from andreturned to their supporting positions. Stop means cooperating with thereleasable locking means assure that the support plates are alwaysreturned into the same supporting position so that the amount ofpressure applied by the plates to the patients trunk remains constant aslong as the plates are used on the same patient.

The support plates are mounted to be pivotable about a vertical axisover a limited arc to provide the patient with some freedom of motionwhile he is supported.

The initial setting or fitting of the support plates to a particularpatient is done by highly skilled and experienced personnel such as aphysical therapist or a physician. Thereafter, attendants, unskilled andinexperienced family members and the like can open and close the supportplates. Each time the plates are closed, i.e., placed in their trunksupporting position, the initial setting is repeated. Maladjustments ofthe plates and consequent patient discomfort are thus eliminated. Theelimination of tedious plate adjustments further significantly reducesthe required attendant time for reapplying the plates.

In the presently preferred embodiment of the invention the plates areinterconnected by suitable straps or belts to positively restrain thepatient to the wheelchair, minimize support plate deflections when thepatients full weight is directed against one of the plates and topositively prevent the patient from falling forward.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of awheelchair provided with lateral trunk support plates constructed inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective, side elevational view of the trunk supportplates as mounted to the chairs backrest and is taken on 22 of FIG. 1;and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the trunk support illustrated in FIG. 1 andshows the trunk support plates in a semiopen position in phantom lines.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS nects the support plates andpositively restrains the patient to the chair.

The support plates grasp the sides of the patients trunk. They arecontoured, i.e., concavely shaped to follow the exterior of the trunk,and limit or prevent movements of the trunk in the sideway and forwarddirections. In this manner the patients trunk can be maintained in itsproper position to prevent spine curvatures and limit or treat spinedeformities.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the construction of trunk support plates 16and mounting structure 18 is illustrated in greater detail. A clampmember 24 embraces post 20 of the chairs backrest l0 and is tightenedthereagainst by threaded bolts 26. One-half of the clamp member includesa generally horizontally disposed mounting bar 28 which extends awayfrom the clamp member and terminates in a free end 30 provided with athreaded aperture 32. A pair of spaced apart upper and lower bearingplates 34 and 36 are interconnected by an upright leg 38 and disposedadjacent the generally horizontal sides of mounting bar 28. A pivot pin40 extends through a pair of aligned bores (not separately shown) in theupper and lower bearing plates and a bore extending vertically throughmounting bar 28. The pivot pin secures the bearing plates to themounting bar for pivotal movement of the plates with respect to the barabout a vertical axis 42.

The end of the lower bearing plate opposite pivot pin 40 is crimped,extends upwardly and, in conjunction with leg 38, defines assubstantially horizontal, U-shaped channel 44. The end of upper bearingplate 34 opposite from pivot pin 40 defines a hinge 46 which mounts atongue 48 pivotable towards and away from channel 44. A lug 50 extendsfrom the lower bearing plate and includes a threaded aperture (notshown) engaged by a setscrew provided with a hand knob 52. The setscrewextends through a bore (not shown) in tongue 48 and forces the tongueagainst the channel 44 when it is tightened.

An extension 54 disposed at the side of the lower bearing plate 36proximate mounting bar 28 projects from the lower bearing plate in adirection generally away from channel 44. The outer end of the extensionincludes an aperture 56 in which one end of helical tension spring 58 isanchored. The other end of the spring is anchored in a similar aperture(not separately shown) in clamp member 24. The spring biases the bearingplates in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3, about pivotpin 40.

Referring particularly to FIG. 3, the bearing plates also include a pairof perpendicular, outwardly oriented cam surfaces 55a and 55binterconnected by a rounded cam surface 550. The cam surfaces areeccentric with respect to pivot axis 42. A setscrew 57 provided with aknurled hand knob hw a large diameter shank 59 and a shaft 61 threadedinto aperture 32 at free end 30 of mounting bar 28. A shoulder 53 isdefined by shank 59 and threaded shaft 61 and faces cam surfaces 55. Awasher 51 can be interposed between shoulder 53 and the cam surfaces toprevent undue wear.

Tension spring 58 constantly biases bearing plates 34, 36 in acounterclockwise direction until one of the cam surfaces 55 engagessetscrew shoulder 53. Unthreading of the setscrew with hand knob 57, sayto the position shown in phantom lines in FIG. 3 and identified withreference numeral 57a, permits spring 58 to pivot the bearing platesabout the pivot pin 40 until curved cam surface 55c engages setscrewshoulder 53.

Additional back off of the setscrew permits the bearing plates to pivotfurther through substantially 90? until bearing surface 55a engages thesetscrew shoulder.

Tightening of the hand knob 57 applies a force to the bearing plate camsurface opposing the spring force and thereby pivots the bearing platesabout pivot pin 40 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3.A stop bar 49 is secured to mounting bar 28, extends above and below thegenerally horizontal mounting bar surfaces and defines a limitingposition beyond which the bearing plates cannot pivot when hand knob 57is tightened. Each time the stop bar engages the bearing plates; theyare, therefore, in exactly the same position for advantages more fullypointed out hereinafter.

As an alternative to the illustrated and above-described coactionbetween the spring and the cam surface and the shoulder of hand knob 57permitting a singlehanded opening and closing of the support plates, asuitable threaded interengagement between the bearing plates, the handknob 57 and the mountingbar can be provided. The support plates are thenclosed or opened by turning the hand knobs in one or the otherdirection.

Referring again to FIGS. 2 and 3, a generally L-shaped support platemounting bracket 60 includes a first leg 62 having a rectangular crosssection and a perpendicular, cylindrical second leg 64. The first leg isaxially slidably disposed in channel 44 for lateral adjustments of thebrackets position and can be clamped against lower bearing plate 36 withtongue 48 by support for the patient when the support plates are in use.The

concave side of the panels are, padded with a soft, resilient material68 such as foam rubber covered with a webbing, plastic sheets or softleather. The exposed surface 70 of the soft padding is thus alsoconcavely arcuate in substantially the same manner as panel 66.

Mounted to the rear, convexly arcuate side 72 of panel 66 are a pair ofspaced'apart brackets 74 which include aligned apertures (not separatelyshown). A flat bar 76 provided with mounting blocks 78 at its ends isdisposed between the brackets and threaded bolts or pivot pins 80extending through the apertures in'brackets 74, engage the mountingblocks and permit relative pivotal movement of the flat bar and trunksupport plate 16 about a generally vertical axis 82 which issubstantially parallel to the axis of the patients trunk. The relativepivotal movements of the flat bar and the trunk support plates islimited by the interengagement of panel 66 and mounting blocks 78 and isadjustable by extending or retracting a pair of setscrews 83. Thesetscrews can be extended so that their ends 85 engage bracket 74 tothereby immovably fix the plates. By retracting the setscrews thepivotal movement of the plates about axis 82 can be suitably adjusted.

A slide member 84 has a recess 86 grasping the portion of flat bar 76intermediate mounting blocks 78 and is thus retained to the flat barwhile permitting the member to slidably move between the mountingblocks. Setscrews 88 disposed in the slide member can be tightenedagainst the flat bar to lock the slide member to the bar at a desiredposition and prevent further movements of the member. The slide memberalso includes a clamp 90, preferably integrally constructed with theslide, which defines a cylindrical opening 92 seized to receive thecylindrical leg 64 of the L-shaped mounting bracket 60. A threaded bolt94 is provided to tighten clamp 90 against the cylindrical leg, lock theslide member with respect to the cylindrical leg and prevent furtherrelative movements between the two.

It will now be apparent that trunk support plates 16 are universallyadjustable along orthogonal horizontal axes by axially moving L-shapedbracket 60 along channel 44 or slide member 84 along cylindrical leg 64.By tightening hand knob setscrews 52 or 94 the plate can be locked inany desired position. In addition, the plate can be adjusted in avertical direction by loosening setscrews 88 and sliding flat bar 76,and with it trunk support plates 16, along recess 86 of the slidemember. Furthermore, an adjustable pivotal movement of the trunk supportplates about pivot axis 82 is provided. The inclination of the pivotaxis from the vertical (or horizontal) can be adjusted by looseningthreaded bolt 94 and rotating the slide member and trunk support plateson cylindrical leg 64 of the L-shaped bracket 60.

Turning now to the use of the trunk support plates on a sitting patient,and referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, mounting brackets 74 associated withthe trunk support plates are affixed to upright posts 20 of thewheelchairs backrest l0 and screws 26 are tightened to firmly secure themounting bracket to the posts. Hand knob setscrews 52 are backed off andthe rectangularly shaped leg 62 of cylindrical mounting brackets 60 areinserted in channels 44 so that cylindrical legs 64 of the L-shapedbrackets are proximate the center of the chair.

Threaded bolts 94 of slide members 84 are backed off, the cylindricallegs are slipped past cylindrical openings 92 and the bolts aretightened to secure the mounting plates to the L- shaped bracket. Handknob setscrews 57 are now backed off whereby tension springs 58 pivotbearing plates 34, 36, L- shaped brackets 60 and trunk support plates 16in a clockwise direction (as viewed in FIG. 3) outwardly and away fromthe center of the chair into the position indicated in phantom lines inFIG. 3.

The patient is now free to enter the chair without interference from thetrunk'support plates. Once the patient is in a sitting position, handknob setscrews 57 are tightened whereby the trunk support plates aremoved inwardly towards the patient as previously described until bearingplates 34, 36 engage stop bar 49. An experiencedand skilled person, suchas a physical therapist, now adjusts the position of the trunk supportplates in accordance with the needs of the patient. As alreadydescribed, the spatial position of the trunk support plates isuniversally adjustable by loosening the various setscrews (but excludinghand knob setscrew 57) and correctly positioning the plate. After thetrunk support plates are in the proper position all setscrews are firmlytightened to prevent any further relative movement between the trunksupport plates, L-shaped brackets 60 and bearing plates 34, 36. Therestraining belts 22 are secured to the convex sides 72 of panels 66with threaded bolts 98 and they are tightened with a buckle 100 topositively restrain the patient to the chair.

If a patient is to alight from the wheelchair belt buckle 100 is openedand hand knob setscrews 57 are backed off whereby the trunk supportplates 16 swing outwardly and clear the patients exit path. After thepatient reenters hand knob setscrews 57 are retightened until bearingplates 34, 36 engage stop bar 49 at which point the trunk support platesare in the same position in which they were originally placed.Readjustmerits and consequent adjustment errors and the like causingpatient discomfort from improper placement of the trunk support platesare thereby prevented.

A second means of removing the trunk support plates from the side of thepatient is by backing off of hand knob 52 and removing it from lug 50,which allows the raising of hinged tongue 4648 so L-shaped bracket 60can be removed from rectangular channel 44. This is particularly helpfulfor use with narrow wheelchairs where even a full opening of the trunksupports with hand knob 57 provides the patient with inadequate space toenter or alight from the wheelchair.

Although the trunk support plates are illustrated to be positioned inthe same horizontal plane they can be ofi'set if required. For example,in the treatment of spine deformities it is sometimes desirable ornecessary to place the support plates at substantially differentvertical levels. In such instances, if the vertical spacing exceeds hevertical adjustability provided by flat bar 76 and slide member 84,clamp member 24 is released and moved upwardly or downwardly alongupright post 20.

If a patient must alight sideways of the chair, by collapsing one of thearrnrests 12, the trunk support plate positioned on the opposite side ofthe collapsed armrest is not opened. Thus, in such instances only one ofthe hand knob setscrews 57 is backed off and, after the patientreentered the chair, tightened.

, While the patient is disposed in the chair and restrained thereto bythe trunk support plates the latter permit some degree of movement.Particularly the limited and adjustable pivotal movement of the platesabout vertical pivot axis 82, which is disposed closely adjacent thesupport plates, gives the patient controlled latitude to move forwardsor backward and, to a lesser degree, sideways. This permits ribmovements during breathing and is further particularly desirable forwheelchair patients who move the chairs themselves with drive wheels 14.

What is claimed is:

1. A patients trunk support for use on seating structures comprising asupporting plate for engaging a portion of the patients trunk, means forconnecting the plate to the support structure, adjustment meanspermitting adjustment of the spatial position of the plate with respectto the support structure and the patients trunk, means permittingmovement of the plate from a first position supporting the patientstrunk to a second; open position permitting the patient to enter andalight from the support structure, and stop means limiting movement ofthe plate when in the first position, whereby a precise positioning ofthe support plate relative to the trunk is attained without resetting ofthe adjustment means each time the plate is applied to the patientstrunk.

2. A trunk support according to claim 1 including means for biasing thesupport plate in one direction, means limiting the biased movement ofthe plate, and means for movement of the plate in a direction oppositeto the biased movement thereof.

3. A trunk support according to claim 1 wherein the adj ustment meanscomprises means for moving the support plate in at least threetransverse axes, and means permitting pivotal movements of the supportplate about respective axes parallel and transverse to the axis of thepatients trunk.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means for locking the platein the first position.

5. A trunk support for attachment to chairs and the like seatingstructures comprising a pair of opposite support plates for laterallysupporting a patients trunk, means for mounting the plates to theseating structure, means permitting independent pivotal movement of theplates about spaced apart axes generally parallel to the patients trunk,means for independently spatially adjusting the position of the supportplates with respect to the seating structure to enable use of the trunksupport with patients of varying shapes and sizes, and plate openingmeans coupled to the mounting means for moving at least one of thesupport plates out of its trunk supporting position to enable thepatient to enter and alight from the seating structure.

6. A trunk support according to claim 5 wherein the plate opening meansincludes means determining the trunk supporting position of the supportplate and preventing movement of the support plate past such trunksupporting position.

7. A trunk support according to claim 6 including means for demountablysecuring the trunk support to the seating structure, and meansindependent of the securing means for moving the support platesubstantially parallel to the pivot axis to provide furtheradjustability of the support plate relative to the seating structure andthe patients trunk.

8. A trunk support according to claim 7 wherein the pivot axis and themeans for adjusting the plate parallel to the pivot axis are sitionedclosely ad'acent the support late, and wherein e trunk support fu erincludes means so closely adjacent the support plate for pivoting theplate about a second axis oriented transversely to the first axis.

9. A trunk support according to claim 5 including means for adjustingthe magnitude of the pivotal movement of the plate.

10. A trunk support comprising a contoured trunk support plate forplacement against a patients trunk, the support plate being movable intoand out of its trunk support position, plate mounting means for mountingthe plate to a seating structure, means permitting limited pivotalmotion of the plate about an axis substantially parallel to and disposedclosely adjacent the plate and the patients trunk, vertical adjustmentmeans permitting the raising and lowering of the plate in the directionof the patients trunk, means for adjusting the position of the supportplate in transverse directions substantially perpendicular to the trunkaxis, means determining the trunk supporting position of the supportplate, and means for locking the support plate in its trunk supportingposition.

11. A trunk support according to claim 10 and having cam meansassociated with the locking means for moving the plate toward its trunksupporting position and determining the maximum movement of the platebetween the trunk supporting position and an open position.

12. In a seating structure for patients with infirm trunks having asitting surface, support means for the surface, and upwardly extendingbackrest means connected with the sitting surface, the improvementcomprising: a pair of trunk support plates arranged laterally of thepatients trunk for limiting movements of the trunk and maintaining thetrunk in an essentially upright position, means for securing eachsupport plate to the backrest, means permitting movement of at least oneof the plates toward and away from the trunk, means for arrestingmovement of the plates towards the trunk in a predetermined trunksupporting position laterally of the patients trunk, means forreleasably locking the plates in the predetermined position, and meanspermitting independent adjustment of the plate positions relative to theseating structure when the plates are locked in said predetermined trunksupporting position.

13. A structure according to claim 12 wherein the means permittingmovement includes means for pivoting at least one of the plates about agenerally upright axis, and wherein the adjustment means includes pivotmeans permitting limited pivotal movement of the plate about an axisgenerally parallel to the patients trunk, the pivot means beingpositioned closely adjacent the plate.

1. A patient''s trunk support for use on seating structures comprising asupporting plate for engaging a portion of the patient''s trunk, meansfor connecting the plate to the support structure, adjustment meanspermitting adjustment of the spatial position of the plate with respectto the support structure and the patient''s trunk, means permittingmovement of the plate from a first position supporting the patient''strunk to a second, open position permitting the patient to enter andalight from the support structure, and stop means limiting movement ofthe plate when in the first position, whereby a precise positioning ofthe support plate relative to the trunk is attained without resetting ofthe adjustment means each time the plate is applied to the patient''strunk.
 2. A trunk support according to claim 1 including means forbiasing the support plate in one direction, means limiting the biasedmovement of the plate, and means for movement of the plate in adirection opposite to the biased movement thereof.
 3. A trunk supportaCcording to claim 1 wherein the adjustment means comprises means formoving the support plate in at least three transverse axes, and meanspermitting pivotal movements of the support plate about respective axesparallel and transverse to the axis of the patient''s trunk. 4.Apparatus according to claim 1 including means for locking the plate inthe first position.
 5. A trunk support for attachment to chairs and thelike seating structures comprising a pair of opposite support plates forlaterally supporting a patient''s trunk, means for mounting the platesto the seating structure, means permitting independent pivotal movementof the plates about spaced apart axes generally parallel to thepatient''s trunk, means for independently spatially adjusting theposition of the support plates with respect to the seating structure toenable use of the trunk support with patients of varying shapes andsizes, and plate opening means coupled to the mounting means for movingat least one of the support plates out of its trunk supporting positionto enable the patient to enter and alight from the seating structure. 6.A trunk support according to claim 5 wherein the plate opening meansincludes means determining the trunk supporting position of the supportplate and preventing movement of the support plate past such trunksupporting position.
 7. A trunk support according to claim 6 includingmeans for demountably securing the trunk support to the seatingstructure, and means independent of the securing means for moving thesupport plate substantially parallel to the pivot axis to providefurther adjustability of the support plate relative to the seatingstructure and the patient''s trunk.
 8. A trunk support according toclaim 7 wherein the pivot axis and the means for adjusting the plateparallel to the pivot axis are positioned closely adjacent the supportplate, and wherein the trunk support further includes means also closelyadjacent the support plate for pivoting the plate about a second axisoriented transversely to the first axis.
 9. A trunk support according toclaim 5 including means for adjusting the magnitude of the pivotalmovement of the plate.
 10. A trunk support comprising a contoured trunksupport plate for placement against a patient''s trunk, the supportplate being movable into and out of its trunk support position, platemounting means for mounting the plate to a seating structure, meanspermitting limited pivotal motion of the plate about an axissubstantially parallel to and disposed closely adjacent the plate andthe patient''s trunk, vertical adjustment means permitting the raisingand lowering of the plate in the direction of the patient''s trunk,means for adjusting the position of the support plate in transversedirections substantially perpendicular to the trunk axis, meansdetermining the trunk supporting position of the support plate, andmeans for locking the support plate in its trunk supporting position.11. A trunk support according to claim 10 and having cam meansassociated with the locking means for moving the plate toward its trunksupporting position and determining the maximum movement of the platebetween the trunk supporting position and an open position.
 12. In aseating structure for patients with infirm trunks having a sittingsurface, support means for the surface, and upwardly extending backrestmeans connected with the sitting surface, the improvement comprising: apair of trunk support plates arranged laterally of the patient''s trunkfor limiting movements of the trunk and maintaining the trunk in anessentially upright position, means for securing each support plate tothe backrest, means permitting movement of at least one of the platestoward and away from the trunk, means for arresting movement of theplates towards the trunk in a predetermined trunk supporting positionlaterally of the patient''s trunk, means for releasably locking theplates in the predetermined position, and means peRmitting independentadjustment of the plate positions relative to the seating structure whenthe plates are locked in said predetermined trunk supporting position.13. A structure according to claim 12 wherein the means permittingmovement includes means for pivoting at least one of the plates about agenerally upright axis, and wherein the adjustment means includes pivotmeans permitting limited pivotal movement of the plate about an axisgenerally parallel to the patient''s trunk, the pivot means beingpositioned closely adjacent the plate.